BA International Relations

POL1000: Critical Skills for Politics and International Relations

This module provides you with an introduction to the study of politics and international relations with a focus on skills to enable effective learning, critical thinking, and academic success. It supports development of skills that are crucial to various areas of academic practice (as well as life beyond university), such as: finding and critically engaging with appropriate sources; effective reading; academic integrity and referencing; analysis and argumentation; use of evidence; planning and structuring academic writing; and effective communication. You will develop your skills in these areas alongside discussion of a variety of socio-political topics as well as issues of epistemology and research methodology.

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POL1017: Globalisation of World Politics

This module introduces you to the discipline of International Relations, to the key moments in the historical development of world politics and how these historical processes have shaped the emergence of globalization. You will develop an understanding of the key questions and core concepts used within the field of IR, the historical contexts in which they are situated, and thereby understand how to use them for yourself.

• To introduce you as first year politics students to the concepts and questions of world politics.
• To introduce you to the key moments in the historical development of the world politics and the emergence of globalization
• To familiarise you with the contexts and broad approaches used within the field of International Relations.
• To exercise some of the analytical techniques necessary to evaluate world politics.

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POL1018: The Challenges of World Politics in the Twenty-First Century

This module equips you with the analytical tools needed to understand and engage with the major tensions and policy dilemmas confronting international relations in the twenty-first century. We explore these debates through the lens of what many scholars describe as 'the crisis of the Liberal International Order'. Since the end of the Cold War, international relations has been profoundly influenced by the actors, institutions, and norms associated with liberal order: international organisations, market-driven economic integration and free trade, and universal human rights. Now, a range of enduring and emerging challenges has raised questions about the resilience and legitimacy of this order, including the retreat of multilateralism, international armed conflict, global economic inequality, humanitarian crises, climate change, populism, and disinformation. You will consider whether these developments signal a fundamental transformation of international order and how policymakers should respond.

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POL1045: International Politics of the Global South

This module will introduce you to the historical construction and evolution of what has come to be called the Global South - formerly known as the 'Third World' and the 'developing countries' - starting from the processes of colonisation, decolonisation and postcolonial state- and nation-building. You will learn about the position and roles that this varying and heterogeneous grouping of states has had within international politics and the global economy, both during and after the Cold War. Secondly, theories of International Relations (IR) that pay particular attention to the Global South will be critically discussed, including structuralist/dependency/international political economy (IPE) approaches, subaltern realism, and postcolonial and decolonial theories. Consideration will also be given to non-Western contributions to IR and the related problems of sociology of knowledge in the discipline. Finally, thematic sessions will be devoted to understanding the shared or varying features of foreign policy, security and regionalism in the Global South, as well as the Global South's impact on the global governance of the economy, climate change and migration. No pre-requisites or prior experience needed.

1) To introduce students to the historical construction and evolution of the Global South in international politics

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POL2020: Contemporary Theories of World Politics

This module provides you with an in-depth, critical, and historical examination of classic and contemporary theoretical approaches to world politics. The study of conceptual frameworks in International Relations (IR) is crucial because it allows us to move beyond mere description of, and unreflective feelings about, international events, providing instead genuine analyses, explanations, and understandings. Theory has therefore always been the centre of gravity of IR as a discipline, providing points of collaboration and contestation between scholars about what can be known in IR, and how. As Mearsheimer and Walt put it (2013), theory is no less than 'the lodestone in the field of IR [and] theorists are the field's most famous and prestigious scholars'.

The module explains how the various theoretical approaches are related to one another, not only conceptually but also historically, stressing for each of them the importance of the socio-political context in which they emerged, from the medieval period to the present. Historically, socially and intellectually situating theories, which are mental constructs, is a central aspect of this module.

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POL2027: The Politics of the World Economy

This module has been designed to offer you an introduction to the cross-disciplinary field of International Political Economy (IPE). The political examination of global economic governance is important because it sheds light on the complexity of capitalism, including its structures, processes, and outcomes. There are three main themes addressed throughout the module: (1) the structure, operation and decay of the rules-based liberal international order with respect to economic governance; (2) how are policymakers responding to changes in global economic governance; and (3) how are domestic governments and policymakers responding to selected contemporary issues?

Based on literature from the cross-disciplinary field of International Political Economy (IPE) and related field, the module examines important structures, processes, and outcomes in the recent governance of the global economy. In particular the module aims to:

(1) familiarize you with the conceptual frameworks designed to illuminate major empirical concerns;

(2) provide a foundational knowledge about the post-war history of governing the world economy, focusing in particular on international organizations;

(3) engage in current debates about contemporary issues in global economic governance.

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POL2057: Security Studies

This module will provide you with the opportunity to learn why security is the pre-eminent domain of politics. It will introduce you to the study of war and the use of force in world politics, as well as contemporary threats and challenges to state and people security. It will explore how International Relations (IR) schools of thought inform the study of security, violent conflicts (including war, crimes against humanity such as genocide and war crimes, terrorism, ethnic conflict, and intervention), as well as the pursuit of peace and justice in the aftermath of mass violence. The module examines scholarly debates in the setting of contemporary cases of political violence and security threats, and assesses efforts to achieve security, peace and a modicum of justice in the aftermath of various conflicts. This module pays particular attention to permutations of threats and the formulations of related security rationales and what they, in turn, suggest for the nature of in/securities involved. Overall, the module offers students the opportunity to reflect meaningfully on the correlations between security, peace, and justice. In doing so, it provides a sound basis for more detailed studies at Level 3 and in other undergraduate and postgraduate research.

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POL2128: Introduction to Research Design in Politics and International Relations

This module has been designed to offer you an introduction to research design. Research design sheds light on the different ways to ask the right research questions, examine the evidence, and test ideas. For instance, you might be interested in a professional career in politics and want to analyse data on election polls, or you might be considering any job that evaluates evidence for policymaking or the media. To get meaningful conclusions from any data, you need first to understand the principles of research design. This module will teach you how to ask research questions and collect data that helps you answer those questions. You will be introduced to both qualitative and quantitative research methods, allowing you to choose from various types of research designs for your final year dissertation.

The module aims to:

(1) introduce you to research design in politics and international relations;

(2) help you gain practical knowledge in implementing different types of data collection and evaluation;

(3) provide you with the tools to critically review social science research and public debates;

(4) provide you with desirable research skills for employment in governmental and non-governmental organisations, and the private sector.

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HAS3999: Study Abroad

The Study Abroad programme enables you to undertake a year-long study placement at a partner university outside of the UK, as part of your degree programme.

This module serves as the administrative mechanism for recording the Study Abroad assessment results of students within the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS). Students participating in the Study Abroad programme and based in a HASS department (except for the Law School, the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, Modern Languages, and the School of Education) will be registered on this module during their Study Abroad placement year.

The Study Abroad programme widens the range of modules available to you during Stage 3 of your degree programme; enables you to broaden your academic horizons by studying in a different learning culture and (where relevant and appropriate) in languages other than English; and aims to promote resilience, independence, cultural awareness, and communication skills.

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HAS3998: Employment Experience

This module allows you to undertake and to learn from an extended work placement during the third year of a four year “with Employment Experience” programme. You will use one or more work placements to gain skills that equip you to work in the employment market and to improve your knowledge of the work environment. You are encouraged to think about the intercultural competence and the employability skills that you acquire during your year.

To progress to this module, you will have secured a suitable placement for a minimum of 26 weeks.

Having developed the skills necessary to find relevant roles and apply for roles in the graduate labour market, this is an invaluable opportunity to develop work-related skills and experience that will further enhance your success in the graduate labour market and support your future career choices.

During your placement year you will be supported by the Module Convenor and Placement Team.

The module assessment structure provides opportunity and support for you to evaluate your skills and achievements using personal development techniques.  You will also write an Employer Report to showpiece the culmination of your academic and business skills.

This module aims to:

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POL3040: Dissertation

The dissertation module will equip you with a detailed knowledge of one particular topic within the discipline. You will gain an ability to design and carry out independent research - with the support and supervision of a member of academic staff. Each dissertation is a unique research project shaped by your own research interests and ideas, yet also compliant with the standards or rigour and validity of academic research. This means that there is both an art and a skill to writing a dissertation, which makes the process both challenging and rewarding.

This module aims to equip you with necessary knowledge and skills to conduct research on the research question of your choice resulting in a dissertation within one of the areas of politics, including political science, or political theory, or political philosophy, or International Relations. It is taught by using a series of dissertation skills sessions that introduce you how to design, research for and write up your dissertation; by drawing upon one-to-one supervision meetings working with one of the members of staff, and most importantly, based on your independent research.

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POL3100: Dissertation

The dissertation module offers an opportunity for independent research on a self-selected topic, fostering in-depth knowledge within the discipline. Under the guidance of an academic supervisor, you will develop the skills to design and conduct rigorous independent research. Each dissertation is a unique project shaped by personal research interests while adhering to academic standards. The process involves reflective engagement in designing and executing independent research, utilizing primary sources such as archives, texts, statistics, reports, interviews, and media. Writing a dissertation is a challenging yet rewarding endeavour.

This module aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct independent research on a self-selected research question, culminating in a dissertation within the field of politics. Focused on areas such as Political Science, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, Political Philosophy, International Relations, or Area Studies, the module employs dissertation skills sessions to guide you in designing, researching, and writing your dissertation.

Utilizing a combination of group and one-to-one supervision meetings, the module emphasizes independent research. The process encourages a genuine engagement with research methods in Politics, fostering essential skills for independent work, including organization, motivation, initiative, and communication.

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